What you respect you will protect. What you respect will guide your actions. Do you respect marriage?
I respect marriage, and I’m finding that because of that my actions follow suit.
Prior to marriage, your thinking is different, and that is understandable because you haven’t yet entered into the covenant of marriage. However, after you say I do, your actions should change.
Although we don’t always anticipate and easily accept the changes that marriage brings, we must respect it and understand it’s a part of the process. We can’t get married and think that everything will remain the same. We must respect marriage and enjoy relationships with others who also respect marriage.
Marriage is good and it brings good changes.
3 Tips to Help You Respect Marriage:
1. Don’t expect everyone to get it.
Especially those that aren’t married. How could they understand something that they’ve never experienced? Although they don’t understand it, they should respect it, and that in itself is respectable. However, even if they don’t get it, it’s not your job to help them get it. Don’t lose your focus. Save yourself some stress and stop expecting everyone to get it.
2. Define goals.
Now that you are married, you must consider where you and your spouse are going. Look at your relationships, review & define goals, consider where God is leading you and make the necessary changes. Be intentional about walking worthy of the calling that God has on your life. Don’t make any decisions out of fear or guilt, but do everything in faith.
Keep in mind that as you make changes and move forward, God has always called us to walk in love. Above all, our marriage should glorify God and represent His love on earth. As you move forward in your marriage, make it a priority to honor God with your decisions. We can do nothing apart from Him.
3. Don’t appease.
Whatever you do, do it because the Lord leads you to do it. Do it because it’s best for you, your marriage, and your family. Don’t do anything to appease or please others. It’s worth repeating:
Don’t do anything to appease or please others.
If you aim to appease, you’ll never win, because it will never be enough. So don’t waste your time trying to keep others happy. Use your energy to build your marriage, your family, and let God lead you to do anything outside of that.
Marriage is one of the greatest blessings I’ve received from God and I’m loving the journey- learning every step of the way. I’ve accepted that marriage requires change & I’m willing to make any changes necessary, because I know it’s worth it.
Even when it hurts, I know it’s worth it, so I’ll do whatever I have to do.
“So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
– Matthew 19:6
Read MARRIAGE: What I’ve Learned in 4 Years + 1 Day
